Potassium plays a role in the acid-base balance of the body, helps with protein synthesis, and is essential for healthy muscle and body growth. It is available from a variety of food sources, including meat, fish, many vegetables and fruits, soy...
Your body needs potassium in order to function properly, according to Medline Plus. Stable potassium levels help to ensure that the heart and nervous system continue operating normally. Potassium is obtained exclusively from food. Your kidneys...
Hypokalemia is a condition caused by a potassium deficiency in the blood. Potassium is a mineral that is essential to our cell and organ function. According to The National Institute of Health, this metabolic disorder is caused by excessive...
Potassium is an essential mineral for many of your body processes, including fluid balance and blood pressure regulation. You get potassium from various fish, meats, vegetables, grains, milk products and fruits. According to the National...
Muscle cramps, or spasms, are painful involuntary contractions of your muscle. They often occur in large muscle groups that are frequently used, such as your lower leg or calf, hamstrings and quadriceps. You can also experience muscle spasms in...
The body relies on proper nutrition to function. People stop eating for various reasons, such as loss of appetite from disease or medication, an attempt to lose weight or an eating disorder. Without food, the body will deteriorate and eventually...
Balance among electrically charged atoms and molecules is essential to maintaining chemical equilibrium in your body. Potassium is the most abundant, positively charged atom inside your cells. Because acids and potassium both have a positive...
Without sodium and potassium, the human body is not be able to maintain its functions. Sodium helps regulate the amount of fluid in the bloodstream, carries nutrients throughout the body, aids in nutrient absorption and transmits nervous system...
Multiple sclerosis is a disabling disease that affects the central nervous system. Potassium is an essential mineral that works with sodium to regulate the amount of fluid inside and outside of your cells. Potassium also functions as an...
Low potassium, or hypokalemia, occurs when your blood potassium levels sink below normal. Potassium is a vital mineral that is needed for the healthy function of nerves and muscles, and without it your heart can't work properly. Mild hypokalemia...
Caffeine can be found in a variety of food sources that are a part of almost every American's daily diet. Everything from coffee and tea to chocolate and headache medication contains caffeine. With more and more caffeine being consumed, Americans...
Potassium belongs to a class of nutrients known as macro-minerals. This essential element plays a role in many biological functions including blood pressure control, fluid balance, and muscle contraction. Fluctuations in blood potassium levels are...
Potassium belongs to a class of nutrients known as macro-minerals. This essential element plays a role in many biological functions including blood pressure control, fluid balance and muscle contraction. Fluctuations in blood potassium levels are...
Potassium is an electrolyte that the body requires for muscle and nerve cells to function. We get our potassium from foods we eat. If your potassium level drops too low, a metabolic disorder called hypokalemia develops. A low potassium level has...
The body has two adrenal glands, one near the top of each kidney, according MedlinePlus. These glands produce essential hormones that the body needs to function, including cortisol, adrenaline and sex hormones. Merck Manuals, an online medical...
Muscle spasms are characterized by the involuntary contraction of your muscles. MedlinePlus states that, though muscle spasms may occur in any part of your body, muscles in your upper thigh, back, neck and lower leg may be most commonly affected....
Muscle spasms, sometimes called muscle cramps, occur when a muscle painfully contracts. If a muscle is injured or overused, this often causes muscle spasms, according to MedlinePlus. Being dehydrated, or having low levels of calcium or potassium...
Sodium and potassium are important electrolytes involved in many of the body's functions. Sodium is important for fluid balance, while potassium is important for muscle contraction and the heart's rhythm. Several conditions can cause both high...
Potassium is an important mineral that the body needs for several functions. It helps to keep the right acid-base balance in the body, plays a role in the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates, it must be present for the heart to maintain a...
The adrenals are small triangular shaped glands located on top of each kidney. The pituitary gland, located in the brain, stimulates the adrenal glands to produce a variety of hormones such as cortisol. In response to chronic emotional or physical...
Fibromyalgia can be a debilitating condition with no definitive cause and varying treatment methods. Research on causes and effective treatments for this condition is limited, with inconclusive results. A healthy diet rich in nutrients is one...
Sodium and potassium are minerals and electrolytes that regulate nerve and muscle functions and help maintain your body's normal water balance and regulate blood pressure. Low sodium, or hyponatremia, occurs when the sodium levels in your blood...
